Friday, 30 November 2012

Road to Wembley 2012/13 (2nd Round)

Being a weekend right before an exam, there was no chance I was even considering going to the 2nd Round tie between Colliers Wood Utd and Old Woodstock Town in the next step on the road for this season…

(New Road – home of Old Woodstock Town)

…that was until the FA got involved and kicked the side that reached the 4th Round last year, out of the competition for problems with their New Road ground not being up to scratch. A statement from Colliers Wood’s website said:

“Colliers Wood United have been handed a third round place due to the expulsion of Hellenic League division one west outfit, Old Woodstock Town FC. We understand this is in connection with the ground playing arrangements that Town lodged with the FA when entering the competition. Our club committee are actively looking to bring forward a league match to Saturday 17th November. We hope to have more on this later today. Wood will also receive the £1,200 prize money allocated to the 2nd round winners.”

Despite OWT trying to play Vase games at their old groundshare at Southern League side North Leigh, the FA were having none of it. It’s a shame, but OWT know that their current ground cannot host the level of football that the club are trying to bring to the town and so have set up a site called, The Challenge, to try and get the facilities at New Road upgraded.

So Colliers Wood had an easy passage into Round 3, their next opponents are Hellenic League side Ascot United in what looks an interesting game. Sadly as CWU have another home tie I won’t be going (instead I’m getting my Morecambe hat on that day) but I’m ready for my next dip into the Vase.